In the Heat of the Moment

Despite which metric system you follow to measure time (Gregorian, Lunar, or Solar) or the season, the Chinese Hsia Calendar puts us officially in the summer season with the arrival of the Snake 巳 on May 6th. Hello, fire!

Year after year, like clockwork, the Snake 巳 month always marks the signal that we have shifted from spring (Wood) to summer (Fire). For the time being, it means the energy of the Water Rabbit 癸卯 Year is in full force because the influence of the season plays an essential role in influencing and dictating how the energy of the year will shake up.

A single spark can light a prairie fire is an ancient saying that appears in many forms and in different cultures (not just from China), carrying a range of shifting implications and connotations. When you dissect the essence of a spark, it is both inspiring and catastrophic.

A spark can light up a bonfire, shedding light, cleansing old and stagnant energy, clearing the way for new vision, and giving warmth and comfort to its surroundings. A spark can also ignite a big explosion, rocking the earth and inflicting pain and chaos in the world around it.

When you apply this same concept to describing a Yin Fire 丁 person, he or she exhibits more creative prowess—and explosive temperament—than his or her Yang Fire 丙 counterpart. How so?

For instance, the characteristics of a Yang Fire 丙 person are like the Sun. He or she is open, bright, transparent, and predictable. Just look at the way of the Sun. The giant star shines brightly every single day. You can rely on the Sun to always be there, consistently beaming and offering, even on a shadowy, cloudy day.

The characteristics of Yin Fire 丁 are antithetic and harder to predict. When you meet or know another a Yin Fire丁 person, you can see how their behaviors and emotions embody the two-sided extremes.

For example, they are creative and moody, articulate but private, open yet picky, eager and aloof, wise but timid, warm-hearted and kind but also cautious and disconnected. Because their character is composed of dualities, most Yin Fire丁 people are harder to get to know—and you can never tell which way they’ll be swinging! You can even say there are a lot of personalities to a Yin Fire 丁 person!